USC football: Secondary vulnerable but standing

The USC secondary is so banged up, hobbled, hampered and strained that you'd be lucky to make one healthy player if you bummed a good limb off of everyone on the not-much-depth chart.

“Yeah, we've got so few guys,” said freshman starting CB Nickell Robey about the unit that didn't bring a single returning starter into this season. “We're going to have to use everybody and everything we have left. We're going to play extremely hard because this is the last game and there's nothing else to save ourselves for.”

Robey, a 12-game starter who has 44 tackles and is tied for the team lead in interceptions (three) this season, hopes that the secondary won't be too taxed. The unit has already been stretched thin while ranking last in the Pac-10 in pass defense (262.0 ypg, No. 112 out of 120 FBS schools).

He knows that the Bruins have the league's worst passing offense (133.0 ypg, No. 116 nationally) but are coming off their best passing game of the season. In the Bruins' loss to Arizona State on Nov. 26, sophomore QB Richard Brehaut set school records for completions (33) and attempts (56) while passing for 321 yards and three TDs (46, 21 and 4). Brehaut also rushed for 18 yards and a 12-yard TD.

The Bruin version of the Pistol offense could shoot even more holes in the Trojan secondary, which has overcome an early season of inexperience, blown coverages and slipshod tackling and missed only to wear thin and in some cases wear out.

Here's the inventory of the somewhat walking wounded:

CORNERBACK

* Senior CB Shareece Wright has started 12 games and had 67 tackles, including 7.0 for losses, with 2.5 sacks. He had 10 pass break ups, two fumbles forced, two fumbles recovered and on blocked kick. He went down late in Thursday's practice and was limping after reinjuring a fourth toe. WR Brice Butler had stepped on his left foot. Wright, a gamer, said that he will play Saturday.

* Robey, the other starting CB, appears the healthiest of the bunch. He has been learning the intricate workings of the defense from the experienced Wright, his roommate during fall camp. “Shareece was the one who tells us about being accountable, being responsible for our coverage and doing everything we can to make plays,” Robey said. “One funny thing I learned: Shareece talks in his sleep!”

* Nickel corner Brian Baucham, who got hurt in the Notre Dame game and missed Tuesday and Wednesday practice, participated in Thursday practice on a limited basis. His availability would give the Trojans three scholarship corners.

* Three appears as deep as the position goes, unless the coaches borrow Marshall Jones, a former corner who has started the past three games at strong safety in place of injured Jawanza Starling. Reserve cornerbacks T.J. Bryant (season-ending shoulder injury) is out, and Torin Harris (injured, did not practice Thursday) has not played in the previous two games.

SAFETIES

* Sophomore free safety T.J. McDonald, who has started the previous 12 game this season and has team highs of 89 tackles and three interceptions, nursed his separated right shoulder at Thursday practice. He was wincing as out-for-the-season reserve safety Drew McAllister (hip injury) helped him adjust his sling.

When a reporter asked McDonald whether he was going to play Saturday against UCLA, McDonald has a silly expression. He didn't answer but continued to look as though we had asked him whether he believed in Santa Claus.

* With McDonald likely out, sophomore walk-on Tony Burnett, the USC track team jumper and sprinter, should get the start at free safety. Burnett filled in when McDonald went down last Saturday in the loss to Notre Dame and finished the game's second-most tackles (10), including 0.5 for a loss.

* Redshirt junior strong safety Jones said that he will start on Saturday. On the season, he has 25 tackles, including 1.5 for losses, and three pass breakups and a forced fumble. He intercepted a pass in this past Saturday's loss against Notre Dame, setting up a fourth-quarter scoring drive.

* Starling, who started the first nine games of the season at strong safety, has made 37 tackles and an interception this season. Sidelined the past three games with a hamstring injury, Starling has been practicing all week and is expected to see playing time against UCLA.

“We're doing our best to learn on the fly and understand where each of us is going to be,” said Robey. “It's a new group out there and it's the last game of the season.”

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